CHIEF REED RE-ELECTED.

CHIEF REED RE-ELECTED.

Chief Frank T. Reed, of the fire department of Fairmont, W. Va., has been unanimously reelected to fill the same position for the next two years. That there should have been no opposition to his reappointment to an office which is at once so responsible and so comparatively remunerative is a striking testimony of the respect and esteem in which Chief Reed is held by his fellowcitizens, and this, all the more that he is not of the same politics as many. The men of Fairmont, however, are too wise to allow. a man’s politics to be the criterion of his fitness for such a position which demands not only executive ability, but, also, intelligence and skill in the performance of his duty. That Chief Reed satisfies every condition is shown by the fact that during the eight years that he has been chief of the fire department (he has now entered upon his tenth year in that capacity), not one case of neglect of his instructions on the part of his subordinates has even been hinted at, not a single fire has got away from its place of origin, and in the majority of instances, the building in which the fire started has been saved. It is not to be wondered at that Fairmont is proud not only of her fire chief but, also, of his men whom he has so thoroughly trained as to fit them to stand comparison with the full paid "department of every city of the same class. The boast that the department is the “banner institution of the State” i« therefore, no idle one, and is indorsed by the local insurance men, one of whose nonresident agents, who happened to be in Fairmont the dav after a bad fire, spoke in the highest terms of the manner in which Chief Reed handled it. He said: “That is one chief in a" thousand; almost any other would have ruined that structure with water, whereas the house is now but slightly damaged. I’m going to keep cases on that young fellow.” Another insurance man, who represents the largest lines in that city, said that his people regard Chief Reed as the “best in the State.” The department consists of about twenty members, all volunteers, but two. They protect a fire area of nearly 2,600 acres, containing a population of well on between 6,000 and 7.000 persons. The equipment is as follows: Hose wagons, two; hose reels, three; hose, cotton, rubber-lined, good, 1,300 feet; horses, three; fire alarm, bells; hydrants, 200; fire pressure, eighty-five pounds to ninety pounds. But, is it quite wise to depend simply on hydrant pressure, especially where there are manv wooden buildings and wooden roofs are permitted? It would seem safer to have at least a small sized steamer always on hand. The fact, also, that some of the business buildings are six stories high, would seem to point to the necessity for the purchase of a hook and ladder truck, while to enhance the fire protection and to insure the prompt turn-out of the department, an electric fire alarm system would not be out of place.

Chief Frank T. Reed, of the fire department of Fairmont, W. Va., has been unanimously reelected to fill the same position for the next two years. That there should have been no opposition to his reappointment to an office which is at once so responsible and so comparatively remunerative is a striking testimony of the respect and esteem in which Chief Reed is held by his fellowcitizens, and this, all the more that he is not of the same politics as many. The men of Fairmont, however, are too wise to allow. a man’s politics to be the criterion of his fitness for such a position which demands not only executive ability, but, also, intelligence and skill in the performance of his duty. That Chief Reed satisfies every condition is shown by the fact that during the eight years that he has been chief of the fire department (he has now entered upon his tenth year in that capacity), not one case of neglect of his instructions on the part of his subordinates has even been hinted at, not a single fire has got away from its place of origin, and in the majority of instances, the building in which the fire started has been saved. It is not to be wondered at that Fairmont is proud not only of her fire chief but, also, of his men whom he has so thoroughly trained as to fit them to stand comparison with the full paid "department of every city of the same class. The boast that the department is the “banner institution of the State” i« therefore, no idle one, and is indorsed by the local insurance men, one of whose nonresident agents, who happened to be in Fairmont the dav after a bad fire, spoke in the highest terms of the manner in which Chief Reed handled it. He said: “That is one chief in a" thousand; almost any other would have ruined that structure with water, whereas the house is now but slightly damaged. I’m going to keep cases on that young fellow.” Another insurance man, who represents the largest lines in that city, said that his people regard Chief Reed as the “best in the State.” The department consists of about twenty members, all volunteers, but two. They protect a fire area of nearly 2,600 acres, containing a population of well on between 6,000 and 7.000 persons. The equipment is as follows: Hose wagons, two; hose reels, three; hose, cotton, rubber-lined, good, 1,300 feet; horses, three; fire alarm, bells; hydrants, 200; fire pressure, eighty-five pounds to ninety pounds. But, is it quite wise to depend simply on hydrant pressure, especially where there are manv wooden buildings and wooden roofs are permitted? It would seem safer to have at least a small sized steamer always on hand. The fact, also, that some of the business buildings are six stories high, would seem to point to the necessity for the purchase of a hook and ladder truck, while to enhance the fire protection and to insure the prompt turn-out of the department, an electric fire alarm system would not be out of place.